"I have to talk to you. I tried to earlier, but there were too many people around."

My hands felt like they were freezing into two solid blocks of ice. Maybe it was the cold that was helping to numb my fright a bit. Not a lot, but a bit.

"You should have talked to me at school, anyway. I have to get home now." When I turned to leave, I felt him grab my arm. I froze, and not just with the temperature. I turned to face him, my eyes wide with fear. "Let go of me."

He let go of me immediately and took a step back. "Sorry. It's just that I have to talk to you. There's no time."

"You need to leave me alone."

His jaw tensed. "I can't do that." He stared at the ground and then pushed the dark hair off his face. I finally got a glimpse of what he looked like underneath. I don't know why I'd expected him to be ugly. The fact that he was attractive surprised me, but didn't ease my mind at all.

He wasn't as thin as I'd thought at first glance, more lean and athletic under the ill-fitting clothes. Which would explain the killer grip he had. He had high cheekbones and stern eyebrows like black slashes above his emerald green eyes.

"The cops patrol this park all the time," I told him. "So I think you should leave or there's going to be trouble. I'm going home and I strongly suggest you do the same."

He raised his gaze to look directly at me. "Not yet, Princess."

I blinked at that. "Who are you calling Princess?" "You." He took a step toward me.

I took a big step back. "You need to stay away from me or we're going to have a serious problem here."

He frowned deeply, then reached into the pocket of the navy blue hoodie he wore. I clenched my fists, trying to ready myself for anything. My throat felt too tight to scream, but I'd give it my best shot.